Masterpiece Selection Resonating with the Themes of The Forbidden Valley: Cult Guide

Dir: Edward LeSaint

When famous opera singer Elinore Duane undergoes an operation on her throat, she has a series of ether-induced visions. In one, she is transported to ancient Rome where she appears as a much-admired woman in love with Paul, a young heretic, and at odds with Lutor, the high priest. To save her love, she poisons Lutor with her ring. After several other visions which involve variations on this love triangle, Elinore awakens to discover that Lutor is actually her doctor, Sascha Jaccard, and that Paul is the son of a friend who has come to visit the recovering prima donna.

Dir: Bruno Ziener

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Eva, wo bist du? perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

A fascinating piece of cinema that shares thematic elements.

Dir: Harley Knoles

Jim McDonald, the foreman of a shipbuilding plant and head of the labor union, strives to combat the anarchistic propaganda being put forth by Klimoff, the leader of a Bolshevik gang whose goal is to disrupt the country with strikes and anarchy. Despite McDonald's efforts, a strike is called, resulting in chaos. McDonald's child is knocked down by runaway horses abandoned by their striking driver, and dies. Mob scenes take place in America, as well as in Russia. Eventually, the unrest is quelled with an armistice called between Capital and Labor for a year, during which time wages are to be increased to reflect the cost of living, and leaders are to work out a common plan for their mutual advantage. The strikers now realize that they have been pawns of the Bolsheviks and call off the strike, agreeing to the plan.

Dir: J. Stuart Blackton

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Great Shadow perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

Helene Palmer and her husband Orrin have grown apart, and she becomes infatuated with bachelor Edward Wadsworth. With the outbreak of World War I, Orrin and Edward enlist, while Helene works as a Red Cross nurse in a small French town. Edward is wounded on a dangerous scouting mission near the town and Orrin carries him to safety. The enemy invades during the night, and Orrin rescues Helene as she is about to be overpowered by a German officer. The dying Edward, morally strengthened by his experience as a soldier, encourages the couple to reunite. Soon after, peace is declared.

Dir: J. Stuart Blackton

Enemy agents under the leadership of "Emanon" conspire with pacifists to keep the American defense appropriations down at a time when forces of the enemy are preparing to invade. The invasion comes, and New York, Washington, and other American cities are devastated.

Dir: J. Stuart Blackton

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Common Cause perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

After the overthrowing of Duke Senior by his tyrannical brother, Senior's daughter Rosalind disguises herself as a man and sets out to find her banished father while also counseling her clumsy suitor Orlando in the art of wooing.

Dir: J. Stuart Blackton

Keith, an artist, begins to go blind as a result of having fallen out of a tree as a child. His fiancé Dorothy, a wealthy heiress, had previously said that she thought blind people were "disgusting", and he refuses to see her. Dorothy plans to have her father, an eye surgeon, perform an operation on Keith that may help him regain his sight, but things don't go as planned.

Dir: J. Stuart Blackton

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Battle Cry of Peace perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

The plot revolves around two rival towns in the Canadian Northwest, which are connected only by a bridge. Ingolby, a determined, idealistic engineer, is saved from destruction by the wild-eyed Fleda Druse, whose father is the local gypsy monarch.

Dir: J. Stuart Blackton

Big Steve and Little Lefty, a pair of hobos, are happily drifting through life until the First World War comes. They enter it and find their lives forever changed.

Dir: J. Stuart Blackton

Loved by two men, frivolous Jasmine Grenfel is unable to decide between the bold Rudyard Byng and the more reserved Ian Stafford. Swept away by Byng's forcefulness, Jasmine agrees to marry him and the rejected Stafford goes to South Africa. Three years elapse, and Jasmine's unhappiness increases as her husband slips into dissipation and she is pursued by his private secretary, Adrian Fellow, who is also having an affair with Al'Mah, an exotic dancer. When Byng finds a love note written by Fellow addressed to Jasmine, he threatens to kill both his wife and secretary, but Stafford returns in time to prevent the tragedy. Later, Fellow is murdered and Byng finds a poisoned needle near the body, but before the murderer can be found, the Boer War breaks out and Byng goes to fight for his country. In battle, Stafford is killed and Byng distinguishes himself in the field, recovering from his former dissipation. Al'Mah, now a nurse, is fatally wounded and confesses that she killed Fellow. Jasmine, touched by the crucible of war, finally realizes that she has been responsible for her own unhappiness and makes a true commitment to her husband.